


Exhale

by phenomanon



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:13:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21784252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phenomanon/pseuds/phenomanon
Summary: After the events of Grave Danger, Nick tries to make amends with himself and the people around him. Basically the team finding out about Nick and Greg type fic.
Relationships: Greg Sanders & Nick Stokes, Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	Exhale

Fic inspired by anons on [**panchostokes**](https://panchostokes.tumblr.com/)' tumblr (and panchostokes of course)

——— 

“Hey Jim, got a minute?”

Jim looks up from his paperwork, surprised.

“Come on in Nicky. Hey. How ya doin’ kid?”

“Better." He takes a deep breath. "In counseling Dr. Kline asked if there was something I wanted to get better at and I said yes. Bein’ more honest with my friends and family—and you’re pretty much both, Jim. How long we been workin’ together?”

“Long time.”

“Exactly so…all right, here goes. Me and Greg are a thing.”

“Huh?”

Jim wasn't appalled—just confused.

“Thing? Like a _thing_ - _thing_?”

“Uh, yeah, you know. He’s my…”

Nick realizes he's never used this term before.

“… _Boyfriend_? Boyfriend.”

“Ah, right. Wait you and _SANDERS_?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t get it man, but that doesn’t change anything. You’re good with me, Nicky.”

Nick smiles as both men shift uncomfortably.

“Thanks Jim.”

“Oh, I guess I get it. The hair and the… _shirts_.”

“You know me Jim, a hair and shirts kinda guy.”

The two men finally shared a good laugh together.

——— 

She was going to be furious.

"Hey Cath, how's your day going?"

Catherine raised her eyebrows and gave Nick her usual deadpan expression.

"Waiting on a dense judge to sign a court order, trying to keep Ecklie off my ass, and figuring out what to do about Lindsey failing her test. It's fine, Nick."

Hot air immediately filled Nick's cheeks, making them puff out like a fish.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Not unless you can whip up a court order."

"Actually that judge in your case knows my father. I could make a call?"

Her head turned with intrigue.

"Now just give me a translation device for teenagers and we're even."

Nick smiled as he poured Catherine a cup of coffee.

"It's not a communication device, but I hear coffee helps you talk to people." 

Catherine returned his smile, never saying it out-loud though Nick could feel it in her ' _I'm glad you're okay_ ' look.

Rather she said, "Do something new with your hair? Looks nice, Nicky."

Nick blushed as he ran a hand through his hair. Since Greg moved in, he'd started styling Nick's hair. He had protested at first but Greg eventually found a natural look Nick agreed to and to be honest, he really just liked getting a head massage from Greg every morning.

"Yeah uh...Greg did it for me today."

" _Sanders_?"

"Yeah, him." Nick said partially as a joke, partially out of nervousness.

She didn't have to ask why, Nick could see it too clearly from her confused face.

"You and Sanders... _hang out_?"

"You can say that. I mean—I wanna be honest with you, Cath."

"Okay?"

He put his hands up to illustrate that nothing was wrong.

"So Sanders— _Greg_ does my hair because we kinda...live together. I mean I think it's all right, as long as he doesn't go overboard with the gel. Boyfriend privileges I guess."

Although it was a shaky start, Nick had finished his confession quite confidently. He was also getting used to saying the word 'boyfriend.'

"Live together? Boyfriend?! Since when?"

"Since...you know."

She put her hand comfortably on Nick's shoulder.

"We've only been together a few months, but after everything that happened just decided to go for it. I haven't really told anyone, but he really helped with the healing."

Catherine's face winced in sadness as she felt the pain from Nick's voice. He was remembering the incident again she could tell, his body tensing like it did in the glass coffin.

"He make you happy?"

"Huh?" 

Her question caught him off guard, making Nick break a sweat.

"You heard me."

"Very."

"I've always wanted to know Nick. What's it like living with a Marilyn Manson fan?"

"Probably similar to living with a teenage daughter."

Catherine's face lit up like a Christmas tree. This was the Nick she feared would never rear his head again, but somehow he was surviving. She admired him for it.

"All right, but you're gonna have to tell Lindz why she can't be with Greg. Other than the obvious."

Nick let out a hearty laugh, one of the few he'd experienced since being hospitalized. 

"As long as you and Lindsey do me and Greg the honor of coming to our house re-warming party?"

"Re-warming?"

"Greg said I couldn't do a housewarming party because I already owned the house. But he said I could do a house 're-warming' to let in new energy with the people close to me yadda yadda... _you know Greg_."

She stopped herself from rolling her eyes when she noticed how happy talking about Greg made Nick, and offered a smirk instead.

——— 

Sara was swirling around her salad when Nick sat down next to her. She smiled, welcoming the new energy breaking her thoughts.

Nick could see the ' _I'm glad you're okay_ ' sympathy expression defining her face.

"Hey Sara, got any plans next Friday?"

One eyebrow was raised, the other staying perfectly still on her sharp features.

"Really?"

"Well if you're not doing anything, me and Greg would really love it if you'd come to our house re-warming party."

Sara stopped rummaging around her sad bowl of salad.

"You guys _live together_?"

"Work together, live together, and um...do other things together. We—Greg and I are together."

Sara's eyes almost blew out of their sockets.

"I knew it! I knew you two looked at each other a little too long all the time."

Nick smiled out of relief at her exclamation.

"He never told you anything?"

She shook her head earnestly.

"No. I'm kinda hurt to be honest."

"Well I'm the one who asked him not to tell anyone so blame me."

"Okay then, I blame you!" She jokingly shot back, adding a, "Since when? How? _Why_?"

"We started dating a few months ago and moved in together after the— "

She quickly nodded, putting her hand on his shoulder which helped ease some of the tension.

"This is the Twilight Zone, Nick. It's like my brother just started dating someone else's pesky little brother...who is also an alien or something."

Nick cringed but laughed at the comparison.

"Sometimes he's pesky, but he's also nice to look at."

Her mouth dropped to the floor in disgust, getting a big chuckle out of Nick.

"I thought your type was red heads?"

"It was, and still is, for women. But Greg gets his own category because, you know. Confirmed alien."

"Definitely an alien."

Sara resumed her salad and Nick was happy returning to a natural pace.

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Before I do, I have more questions of my own. You owe me that much for keeping this from me."

He let out a sigh but knew this was coming.

"Okay lightening round. Go."

"I mean, do you guys even have anything in common?"

"Do you always have stuff in common with the people _you_ date?"

She crinkled her face at the question but understood where Nick was coming from.

"I guess not always."

"We're not a rom com, Sara. He hates country and I'm not a big fan of Black Flag. I prefer morning runs, he likes vegging out to reality TV marathons all night. We argue about small things all the time, like his inability to place the remote back on the coffee table." Nick's lips twitched. "But in the end what makes us work to some degree is that we're okay with one another. I let him be weird and love him for it, and vice versa."

"You _love_ each other?"

"That counts as a question, and you're running out of 'em."

"Fine."

"I've never been in love before so I can't say this is it exclusively...but I've never felt this way about anyone else. That much I can tell ya."

By the way his eyes twinkled talking about Greg, Sara knew it was love.

"He asked you out first, didn't he?"

"Tricked me into seeing a movie with him and then analyzed my DNA, but yeah, basically."

"Not surprised. Did you two drink some thug passions too?"

"Funny."

Sara exchanged playful looks with Nick.

"I think you answered my last question already."

"Really? Well Sara Sidle, could it be that you're gonna let me win this one?"

The answer was definitely no.

"I _assume_ that if you're with Greg Sanders you've seen and done some weird stuff by now. Makes me think you're almost... _cool_." She said with a laugh.

Nick is red in the face when he finally understands what she's asking.

"I'm not exactly adventurous like Marlon Brando but—"

"Really? Marlon Brando's the example you decided to use?"

Nick shrugged.

"I get it, I'm outdated. Greg's usually the one that keeps me in the loop with what's ' _hip_.' But yeah, he's led this horse to water a couple of times."

"I so did not need to hear that."

He laughed wholeheartedly at Sara's abhorrence.

"Does that mean you'll grace us with your presence Friday?"

"Just because we had this little heart to heart doesn't mean I'm gonna let up on my teasing."

"Good. Because I'd be really sad if you did."

——— 

"What's going on?" 

"What do you mean?"

" _You_. Everything good?"

"Yes and no."

Nick wishes he could have worded things better so he didn't have to receive that pitiful look every time. Ever since he got abducted and imprisoned in the glass coffin, everyone at work gave him the third degree. They were all being nice and supportive, albeit to a suffocating extent.

"Nick?"

"My bad bro. I didn't mean it that way. I'm fine. Really." He took a deep breath before continuing. "How are you and Tina?"

Warrick relaxed his body and tossed a heavy hand in the air.

"We're fine." He repeated flatly.

"If you're on good terms, I—Greg and I wanna invite you both to our house re-warming party next Friday."

Nick had finally done it. He had said something so outrageous that it had actually rendered Warrick Brown speechless.

"Come again? You and _Sanders_?!"

"Why does everyone keep saying his name like that?" Nick snapped, uncomfortably crossing his arms.

Warrick shrugged.

"He's the lab's favorite adopted puppy. But seriously, _Sanders_? You live with him now?"

Nick nodded.

"How'd this even happen, man? Thought we were best friends."

"We are Warrick. That's why it was so hard to tell you. Hard to tell you that uh...Greg and I are together. Like you and Tina are together."

Warrick's mouth dropped open again. He had no inkling that his friend was anything other than straight, nor that he would go for someone like Greg Sanders out of all people.

"Tell me this is a joke."

"I'll tell you a joke— _the honeymoon stage_. For us it only lasted a week or two before the kid drove me up a wall. Still love him, but he's a wild one. You feel me?"

Finally Warrick let out the laugh he had been holding in. If nothing else, at least he related with Nick on one point in the conversation.

"Trust me, I get it."

"So how do you and Tina do it? Love each other through marriage, health, and...neuroticism?"

"I don't know man, you just do. I wanna say there's some secret formula to all this but there ain't. Ups, downs, gotta go through 'em all to realize how much you mean to each other."

Once the words left his lips, Warrick understood his situation with Tina a little better, which caused him to smile.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Plus y'all already got a head start on us boring straight couples. You don't even have to put the seat down. I'd take that gift and run."

Nick burst out laughing, gently slapping his best friend on the shoulder.

"You know Warrick, I _did_ grow up with four sisters. Think I know a thing or two about restroom regulation big guy."

They missed this. All of this. The banter, the smiles, and the shoulder slaps. Warrick was relieved to see his friend returning to normality. 

"Ha, maybe you're right."

"And you're assuming that Greg lets me use the bathroom whenever I want. He runs the show 'Rick, with his hour showers and hair products. It's...a lot."

"Still can't believe you and Sanders. I thought he was just sucking up to you...now I find out he's got the hots for my best friend. How do you even know, man?"

"How do I know what?"

"That you—I don't know, prefer muscles to stilettos?"

"First of all Warrick, I still have a thing for a beautiful woman in heels. That'll probably never change. Secondly, I think you just know, you know? The first time me and Greg went on a date, I didn't even know it was a date. But as the night went on, the vibes were there and I...I just went with it. Did the gentleman thing, walked Greg to his door, and yeah. Kissed him just to see how I felt and within a few seconds, I understood everything."

"Gonna have to get used to that." Warrick said, cringing.

"You and me both, man. I'm still the same 'ol Nick though. Things haven't changed. _Right_?"

Nick turned to Warrick with a serious expression on his face.

"Hell no. If anything this gives me more ammo to clown yo ass."

"Feel free to divvy up the roasts between me and Greg. He can use some toughening up too."

"Wow, you gonna throw your dude under the bus like that?" Warrick said with boisterous laugh.

"Hey if anything he comes running to me later for comfort. That's Nick's time to shine, baby!"

Nothing had changed between the two men, decisively alleviating Warrick and Nick from their anxieties.

"Friends?" Nick asked with hesitation, lifting his hand to Warrick.

"Fuck that, we're brothers. You know that, Stokes. Don't ever give me that handshake shit again." 

Nick was elated when Warrick smacked his hand away to bring in him for a real hug.

"Thanks man." Nick said, choking back a few tears. "Now I can vent to someone I trust about the state of the house. It's like living in a dorm again."

"I mean, look at him. The dude's a personification of cup ramen and coffee binges."

"Not wrong about that."

"Give the kid a break, Stokes. He's trying his best."

Nick was shocked to hear that coming from his best friend, especially since Warrick hadn't been gentle in training Greg. Nick still remembers Greg running to him in tears after his first CSI training session with Warrick. He almost had a second break down when Nick sided with Warrick, because at the end of the day, they both knew that Warrick's intentions were right all along. Greg had become a fine-tuned CSI because of Warrick's harsh training, something that he only now understood.

"I appreciate that man. He'll be happy to hear it."

"Well he's never gonna hear it because you aren't gonna tell him. You trying to bust down my tough guy approach?"

Nick smirked.

"Fine, fine. My lips are sealed."

"Hey Nick. Hey Warrick."

The two men looked towards the door to see Greg making his grand appearance.

"Hey baby." Nick said barely above a whisper, making Greg beam from ear to ear.

"Sup man. You made sure each envelope contained the correct information before you submitted it right? Police identification number, date, time, description, where it was collected, who collected it, all that? The wrong label can get key evidence thrown out of court, Sanders. You don't want that, do you?"

Greg's eyes dilated as if he was tripping on the strongest drug known to man.

"I—uh—" He pursed his lips and turned on his heels to leave as quickly as he came.

Before he could exit, Nick grabbed him by the arm and planted a soft kiss on Greg's lips. Greg felt like his head had detached from his body and was floating its way through the ozone.

Warrick's face contorted in disgust, though it was not out of contempt.

"D-did you tell him—?" Greg tried to whisper, getting a slap on the back from Warrick.

"Yeah he told me. Me and Tina will be there and we're looking forward to seeing the damage. Make sure to save us a tour, Sanders."

A genuine smile appeared on Greg's lips as he stuck out his hand towards Warrick. Nick immediately shook his head.

"We don't do that weak handshake shit around here, Greg." 

Warrick had called him by his actual name this time. Not _Sanders_ , not _Kid_ , and not _Point Dexter_.

The older man pulled Greg into an embrace, nearly knocking the air out of him. Greg wrapped his arms around Warrick and enjoyed the feeling of finally breaking this barrier between them.

"Thanks man, I—I didn't wanna say this, but I look up to you."

"All right, all right." Warrick quipped, quickly peeling himself off the younger man. "Not like how you look up to Nick though, right?"

The younger man finally laughed.

"Definitely not. Although if things don't work out with Nicky—" Greg said with a smirk, shooting Warrick his most capricious set of eyes.

"Oh! So suddenly you've got comebacks. What about the ' _he was so mean to me Nicky_ ' nights—"

"Shhhhhhhh!"

Greg plastered his hand over Nick's mouth, to which Nick playfully bit then kissed.

"Get a room you two." 

"We already have one, which you'll get to see next Friday. Greg installed all the high tech upgrades back at the house—lights, audio, computer stuff. Didn't even expect him to raise a hammer but now he's building compartments." Nick kissed the top of Greg's head lovingly. "Can't wait to show you the entertainment system he built for us, 'Rick. We're gonna be doing fantasy football in style this year."

Warrick could tell Nick was in love by the way he spoke about Greg, and it made him a happy man to see his best friend happy.

Nick dragged Greg closer to him; Greg almost ending up in his lap. The way they stared at each other was so intense that even Warrick could feel it.

" _Yeah, yeah_. Fancy new surround sound ain't gonna help you pick a better team Nicky. Nice try though."

Nick couldn't have been happier. He was in the presence of two people he loved very much; his boyfriend and his best friend, and they were getting along for once.

He didn't want to admit it, but there might have been some good things to come out of his experience being buried alive. At least now he didn't have to exist buried under all those lies. For the first time in his life, Nick could finally breathe.


End file.
